sinking ground

My wife just noticed a dip in our backyard that wasn't there previously.
It's probably a foot long, 6 inches wide, and 6 inches deep at most.
Aside from monitoring it, is there anything proactive I can do to
prevent/reduce damage?
When we moved in a year ago an orange marker had been placed about 5
feet east of this dip so I was wondering if perhaps a pipe of some kind
may have burst creating a cavity that is collapsing. Who would I call
to find out if this happened? My parents had something similar on their
house and had half the front yard excavated, if I recall the amount they
paid was substantial.
My bigger worry is that it's actually a sinkhole. We're in an extreme
drought (Williamson County in Texas) and I know the area (Central Texas)
is known for aquifers/caves. How do I even begin in detecting this and
is there a remedy aside from moving out? Does insurance typically cover
this should a giant hole form in my backyard (and potentially suck up my
house)?
Maybe it's just dirty sinking in where someone had dug a trench
previously, but I only know that the ground was marked and that was over
a year ago with no sinking until recently.
Any other reasons the ground may have sunk?
Thanks!
--
gorf

How old is the home? If it is new or almost new, it is likely there is
some kind of utility under there and they just did not backfill properly.
The marking of it would lead me to suspect there is a utility there and it
is just a matter of poor work filling it.
However you do bring up a problem with your local area. I know the idea
of a sink hole in your area is possible but that's about all I know. I
would want to follow up on that one if I were you.

Get a spade and dig down some where the depression is and see if you find
anything in the first foot or two. For the few minutes it will take to do
an exploratory dig, it may save you time and money.
Ric

Are you sure its new, where I have trees I cut down level the stump rots
underground eventualy giving way to a hole, I have a few I fill every
year. Poor rotting fill, a break in a water or sewer line, an old
covered well, alot of things can cause that.

i had that same problem and there was a 55 gallon drum buried that
finally rusted out. around here in ky you call a 800 number bfore you
dig and they send out a guy to mark all pipes and underground metal.
lucas
http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

In my area I would call the "Diggers Hotline" which is run by the
various utility companies.
They would come out and mark any utilities by type for any area you are
planning on working in.
If the indication is a sewer pipe you then need to arrange to either
dig down to it or get a plumber with inspection camera. If it is a
sewer main the utility will handle that.
A broken water pipe might have a similar appearance and I would push a
metal rod into the ground. You will either hit a void and / or get
water coming up the rod.
If no utilities are in the area it would be sinkhole or rotting debris,
maybe gopher.
In my area it might be frost heave from freezing and thawing soil.
Probably not in Texas though.

In my area I would call the "Diggers Hotline" which is run by the
various utility companies.
They would come out and mark any utilities by type for any area you are
planning on working in.
If the indication is a sewer pipe you then need to arrange to either
dig down to it or get a plumber with inspection camera. If it is a
sewer main the utility will handle that.
A broken water pipe might have a similar appearance and I would push a
metal rod into the ground. You will either hit a void and / or get
water coming up the rod.
If no utilities are in the area it would be sinkhole or rotting debris,
maybe gopher.
In my area it might be frost heave from freezing and thawing soil.
Probably not in Texas though.

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